Resources

Background

The 20,000 Homes Campaign is a national movement led by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) to house 20,000 of Canada’s most vulnerable population experiencing homelessness by July 2018.

Communities across Canada are mobilizing together to contribute to the success of the national campaign goal by supporting the campaign locally in their own community.

The 20,000 Homes National Campaign is built on action at the local community level, including outreach, data collection, and service prioritization for housing and related programs and services.

In Simcoe County, the 20,000 Homes Campaign includes work in housing placements and on-going efforts to create an integrated service model for housing and supports, as well as 2016’s Campaign Registry Week. The 20k Homes Campaign Registry Week, led by the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness (SCATEH), supported by the County of Simcoe and directed by a project Steering Committee, took place during the week of January 13th to 20th, 2016. It was led by the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness (SCATEH) and supported by the County of Simcoe.

Using trained volunteer survey teams comprised of professional service staff and community volunteers and led by a project coordinator recruited to support the Registry Week work plan activities, 292 individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness were surveyed to assess vulnerability. Using the five Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness Chapter districts, individuals were surveyed in the areas of Barrie, North Simcoe (Midland/Penetanguishene area), Orillia, South Georgian Bay (Collingwood/Wasaga Beach area) and South Simcoe (Alliston/Bradford area).

The main purposes of data collection during Registry Week were:

To understand the big picture of need in our communities and the levels of vulnerability; the term “acuity” is used to describe the complexity of the situation or issues that an individual is facing which are likely to have an effect on their housing stability;

To track the progress of housing individuals at the local level for the national campaign;

To connect people experiencing homelessness in Simcoe County to the appropriate services;

To raise awareness of issues of homelessness in our community; and

To inform local policy and service delivery planning.

The 20,000 Homes Campaign is the first enumeration count for this region using a targeted approach to help identify local challenges for people experiencing chronic and episodic homelessness.

Results of the 20k Homes Campaign Registry Week have been shared with the Child Youth and Family Services Coalition of Simcoe County, County of Simcoe Council, SCATEH members, Basic Needs Task Group, SCATEH Fall Forum; and some of the results were shared during the United Way Great Simcoe County presentation of Vital Signs.

Copyright Simcoe County Alliance to End Homeslessness 2017. Website designed in Weebly by Jennifer van Gennip.